Golden Gate Bridge from Buena Vista Park
The Haight-Ashbury District is not trying to hide its hippie past. Water pipe stores, cannabis stores, and Bob Marley Murals unmistakably are remnants of a past long gone. Boutique stores and restaurants catering to tourists are slowly taking over. The colorful murals and shops are very photogenic nonetheless and the vivid Victorian villas will charm any visitor. The crowd is a colorful mix of tourists, locals, and weed junkies with bloodshot eyes.
Nearby Buena Vista Park offers a unique and much less photographed perspective on San Francisco. Clearly misnamed, Buena Vista Park requires some searching for good spots, as the forest vegetation blocks most spots. I have marked the two best views I found with GPS waypoints (see below). Buena Vista is now a Dog Park and they really mean that. The Dog to People ratio is quite high. Watch where you step when you are scouting a shot and leave your sandwich in your car or safely tucked away in your backpack.
Although the views from Buena Vista Park are not quite as spectacular as those from nearby Twin Peaks, you will find a more intimate portrait of the city and views that look slightly different from those that everyone who visits San Francisco can show. That alone should make a visit to the park and putting up with dogs worthwhile.
Downtown from Buena Vista Park
How to get there
Despite San Francisco’s good public transport, I prefer to drive here.
You can park all around Buena Vista Park in the side streets. Parking is free at most places.
GPS position
Buena Vista Park, Golden Gate View:
Haight-Ashbury:
How to photograph Buena Vista Park and Haight-Ashbury District
Victorian Houses in Haight-Ashbury District
You will need a Telephoto lens to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge and St. Ignatius from Buena Vista. Use a tripod and if your exposure time drops below 1/125, I also recommend a cable release and mirror lockup.
If you use a tripod, shoot in aperture priority mode and stop down. If you don’t have a tripod, shoot in program mode and if your camera supports auto-ISO, use that as well. Make sure your exposure time does not exceed 1/(focal length * crop factor). If you do not have auto-ISO, bump it up accordingly until you can safely handhold your shot.
For the skyline shot you will need a normal to telephoto lens (about 80-100mm or equivalent). This shot is best with a dramatic sky, as the foreground consists of tree tops. If the sky looks boring, crop it away and create a panoramic aspect ratio. You can either take two shots and stitch them together or just crop the final frame.
Although I used a tripod to capture this image of the Victorian Houses, I think it may be wise to just bump up your ISO and walk the streets. Follow the advice I gave in this article on Street Photography at Fisherman’s Wharf.
There are a lot of wires running all over. I decided not to remove them digitally, as they are as authentic to this district and the city as the houses themselves.
Best Time of the Day and Best Season
There is no point coming here for the sunset. The views from Buena Vista are excellent but not plenty. The view of Golden Gate Bridge is unique and the angle on Downtown is different from other parks, but homeless people inhabit the park at night.
Photographing Haight-Ashbury Street is probably better during the day, despite the harsh light.
Time required
You do not need much time for Buena Vista Park. About one hour is enough to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge, St. Ignatius Church, and the Downtown Skyline from the park. Walking around Haight-Ashbury takes about one to two hours, depending on your mood and if you like street photography.
Equipment
- Tripod
- Telephoto Lens
- Normal Lens
- Coat or Sweater
- Travel light, you have some walking to do. I prefer my Slingshot backpack for easy access.
Close Locations
- Corona Heights
- Twin Peaks
- San Francisco Mission and Mission District
- Civic Center with City Hall
- Golden Gate Park: Japanese Tea Garden
- Golden Gate Park West Side
- Beach and Cliff House
- Sutro Baths and Lands End
- Lincoln Park and Legion of Honor
- Filoli
Useful Resources
San Francisco: The Haight – Travel Guide from SFGate.com
Buena Vista Park – from sfdogparks.com
Public Transit planning – from 511.org
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2 Comments
Very cool, I’d like to photograph that skyline at night..:-)
For night shots I’d recommend Twin Peaks instead, since you can drive to the observation point. Buena Vista park seems to be inhabited by homeless people. Twin Peaks is safer and the view is excellent.